Retractable fixture for portable visual electronic products

ABSTRACT

This new and novel retractable fixture for portable visual electronic products is composed of a fixing clip, a supporting rod and a fixing base. The supporting rod is hinged to the fixing clip at one end and connected to the fixing base at the other. The fixing base is connected to the portable visual electronic product and the supporting rod is adjustable. This fixture quickly and easily adjusts the visual direction, angle and distance of portable visual electronic products and applies to common vehicles like various automobiles.

This application is based on a Chinese Application No. 200520058215.5filed on May 12, 2005.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This new utility model is an assembly for attachment to a stationaryobject, particularly a retractable fixture assembly for portable visualelectronic products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable visual electronic products are getting ever more diversified,such as PDA, pocket TV and palmtop audio-visual recorder-player (likeMP4). Among them is a portable VCD player that this Applicant claimsunder Patent No. 03267232.2, a Chinese utility model. Light and compact,these portable visual electronic products become very popular and havefound wide applications in various vehicles, such as automobiles,airplanes and ships, making our life more enjoyable either on trips orat work. However, such products have to be held in one's hands atpresent, which is very inconvenient for extended use or when our handsare otherwise engaged. In addition, the products may fall out of ourhands and get damaged. It is therefore necessary to design a fixtureassembly that can easily fix any portable visual electronic product to astationary object, especially on a moving vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this new invention is to provide a simple, reliable andeasy-to-use retractable fixture free from the present technical defectsof those being currently used for fixing portable visual electronicproducts on moving vehicles.

The purpose of this new invention is achieved by the following: Thisretractable fixture for portable visual electronic products is composedof a fixing clip, a supporting rod and a fixing base. The supporting rodis hinged to the fixing clip at one end and connected to the fixing baseat the other. The fixing base is connected to the portable visualelectronic product and the supporting rod can be adjustably positioned.

The supporting rod is composed of internal and external sleeves and aspiral fixing block. The internal sleeve is socketed into the externalsleeve. The external sleeve has threads outside, and on the externalsleeve wall near the threads is a protruding pressure block. The spiralfixing block has threads inside, through which the block is connected tothe external sleeve. After being turned into the external sleeve, thespiral fixing block presses against the pressure block protruding out ofthe wall of the external sleeve so that the pressure block is pressedagainst the inside of the external sleeve and against the internalsleeve, thus securing the internal and external sleeves together.

In another embodiment, the external sleeve is threaded on its outsideand notched regularly at its end so that the remaining part of theexternal sleeve can bend inward easily. In addition, the part close tothe end inside the spiral fixing block is machined into a round(conical) hole. After the spiral fixing block is turned into theexternal sleeve, the round (conical) holes at its end radially pressagainst the end of the external sleeve so that the external sleeve ispressed inside against the internal sleeve, thus securing the internaland external sleeves.

The fixing clip is composed of two clamping rods and fastening screws,with threaded holes on one end of each clamping rod. The two clampingrods are flexibly screwed together via the threaded holes at one end andare hinged to the supporting rod at the other. Specifically, thesupporting rod is connected to a round flat connecting block at one end.At both sides of the round flat connecting block are spherical concavesarranged in a circle. The two clamping rods are also connected to roundconnecting blocks at the ends. There are springs inside the roundconnecting blocks. Between the round flat connecting block and the roundconnecting blocks are small steel balls. With the springs, the roundconnecting blocks press the small steel balls into the sphericalconcaves on both sides of the round flat connecting block of thesupporting rod to circumferentially secure the round flat connectingblock and round connecting blocks of the clamping blocks. In the centersof the round flat connecting block and round connecting blocks areholes, into which studs are inserted and connected to the nuts at thetwo ends to axially secure the round flat connecting block and roundconnecting blocks.

The number of the springs is the same as that of the said small steelballs. The springs are regularly distributed between the round flatconnecting blocks and the round connecting blocks. Inside the roundconnecting blocks are some spring pressers that are screwed inside theround connecting blocks. On the pressers are regularly distributed roundholes for holding and circumferentially fixing the springs.

Opposite the clamping rods are grooves, in which non-rigid pressureblocks (made of plastic or rubber) can be installed.

The grooves opposite the clamping rods are arranged in two separatesections, each holding the said non-rigid pressure blocks.

On the outerside of the non-rigid pressure blocks are raised lines (suchas meshed lines, strip lines and arc liners) for increasing the frictioncoefficient and improving the clamping effect.

On the edges of the grooves on the clamping rods are symmetrical notches(such as arc notches, square notches and triangle notches). The notcheson two clamping rods can close to form holes (round and square) passingthrough the clamping rods, and can serve to position the fixing rodvertically while clamping the fixing rod.

The internal sleeve of the supporting rod is connected to the fixingbase via the connecting block. Specifically, in the connecting block areholes, beside which are clamping pieces. There are concave-convexthreads on the surface of the internal sleeve. The internal sleeveextends into the connecting block and is fixed axially. The internalsleeve is circumferentially contact-connected to the clamping pieces viaconcave-convex threads, thus circumferentially securing the internalsleeve and the connecting block. The fixing base provides convex contactsurface of steel balls, through which the fixing base is embedded intothe spherical concaves of the connecting block, to circumferentiallysecure the fixing base and the connecting block. In the end surface ofthe connecting block and the center of the convex contact surface of thesteel balls on the fixing base are some holes, into which studs areinserted and connected to the nuts at the two ends to axially secure thefixing base and the connecting block.

The fixing base includes a base body and a movable clamping piece (notshown). The base body has a clamping flange, and the movable clampingpiece is screwed with the portable visual electronic product. Themoveable clamping piece and the base body are connected through theclamping flange and the clamping block located at the back of themovable clamp.

The base body of the fixing base has an elastic stopper, which islocated at one end of the clamping flange and can be locked after themovable clamping piece is clamped into the clamping base so as toprevent the portable visual electronic product from slipping.

This new retractable fixture works in the following manner: The fixingclip of this fixture is secured onto another fixed object (such as theconnecting rod between the seat and head rest of a car) and then theportable visual electronic product is connected to the fixing base ofthe fixture. To adjust the visual direction of the electronic product,turn the supporting rod relative to the fixing clip through the hingeconnecting the supporting rod and fixing clip. To further adjust thevisual angle, turn the connecting block relative to the supporting rod(or turn the internal sleeve relative to the external sleeve of thesupporting rod). For visual electronic products with different screendirections, just turn the fixing base relative to the connecting block.To change the visual distance, adjust the length of the retractablesupporting rod.

This new retractable fixture is superior to the existing technologies inthe following respects: (1) Safe and reliable: This fixture can be usedto fix your portable visual electronic product stably and reliably toenable you to enjoy programs without holding it with your hands. You nolonger have to worry about your visual product falling out of yourhands. Therefore, this technology provides convenience and safety at thesame time. (2) Convenience and wide serviceability: This fixture worksin various ways. It serves to flexibly and easily adjust the visualdirection, angle and distance of your visual products. It applies tocommon vehicles like various automobiles. It is applicable to fixing allexisting portable visual electronic products, such as PDA, pocket TV,palmtop audio-visual recorder-player and portable DVD player relative toa stationary support. This fixture promises bright market prospect.

To have a better understanding of the invention, reference is made tothe following detailed description of the invention, from the claims andfrom the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the novel retractable fixture inthe open position;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the retractable fixture shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the retractable fixture as shown in FIG.1, but rotated 90°;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the retractable fixture of FIG. 1 shownin the closed position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing the details ofthe connection between the block assembly and the base assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the outline of this new and novel retractable fixture forportable visual electronic products. It may be seen from FIG. 1 that theretractable fixture is composed of a fixing clip 1, supporting rod 2 andfixing base 3. The supporting rod 2 is hinged to the fixing clip 1 atone end and connected to the fixing base 3 at the other. The fixing base3 is connected to the portable visual electronic product (not shown inthe figures), and the supporting rod 2 is retractable.

The structure of the supporting rod 2, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, iscomposed of internal and external sleeves 2-1 and 2-2 and a spiralfixing block 2-3. The internal sleeve 2-1 is socketed into the externalsleeve 2-2. The external sleeve 2-2 has threads 2-4 outside, and in thewall of the external sleeve 2-2 near the threads 2-4 is a protrudingpressure block 2-5. The spiral fixing block 2-3 has threads inside,through which the block is connected to the external sleeve 2-2.

After being turned into the external sleeve 2-2, the spiral fixing block2-3 presses against the pressure block 2-5 protruding out of the wall ofthe external sleeve 2-2 so that the pressure block is pressed againstthe inside of the external sleeve 2-2 and against the internal sleeve2-1, thus securing the internal sleeve 2-1 and external sleeve 2-2.

The fixing clip 1 is composed of two clamping rods 1-1 and 1-2 andfastening screw 1-3, with threaded hole 1-4 on one end of clamping rod1-1 or 1-2 The two clamping rods 1-1 and 1-2 are flexibly connected withthe fastening screw 1-3 via the threaded holes at one end and are hingedto the supporting rod at the other. Specifically, the supporting rod 2is connected to a round flat connecting block 2-6 at one end. At bothsides of the round flat connecting block 2-6 are spherical concaves 2-7arranged in a circle. The two clamping rods 1-1 and 1-2 are alsoconnected to the round connecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6 at the ends. Thereare springs 1-7 inside the round connecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6. Betweenthe round flat connecting block 2-6 and the round connecting blocks 1-5and 1-6 are small steel balls 1-8. With the springs 1-7, the roundconnecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6 press the small steel balls 1-8 into thespherical concaves 2-7 on both sides of the round flat connecting block2-6 to circumferentially secure the round flat connecting block 2-6 andround connecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6.

In the centers of the round flat connecting block 2-6 and roundconnecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6 are holes, into which stud 6 is insertedand connected to the nut 4 to axially secure the round flat connectingblock 2-6 and round connecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6. The number of thesprings 1-7 is the same as that of the small steel balls 1-8. Thesprings are regularly distributed between the round flat connectingblock 2-6 and the round connecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6. Inside the roundconnecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6 are spring pressers 1-9 that are screwedinside the round connecting blocks 1-5 and 1-6. The pressers 1-9 areprovided with regularly distributed round holes for holding andcircumferentially fixing the springs 1-7.

Opposite the clamping rods 1-1 and 1-2 are grooves in two sections, inwhich non-rigid pressure blocks 1-10 (made of plastic or rubber) can beinstalled. On the outer sides of the non-rigid pressure blocks 1-10 areraised lines (such as meshed lines, strip lines and arc lines) forincreasing the friction coefficient and improving the clamping effect.

The internal sleeve 2-1 of the supporting rod 2 is connected to fixingbase 3 via the connecting block 5, as shown in FIGS. 2, and 5. Theconnecting block 5 consists of two parts 5-1 and 5-2. There are holes inthe connecting block part 5-1, and clamp pieces 5-3 beside the holesinside connecting block part 5-1. The connecting block parts are securedtogether by fasteners 5-6. There are concave-convex threads 2-8 on thesurface of the internal sleeve 2-1.

The internal sleeve 2-1 extends into the connecting block part 5-1 andis fixed axially with cover 5-4 by bolt 5-7. The internal sleeve 2-1 iscircumferentially contact-connected to the clamping pieces 5-3 viaconcave-convex threads to circumferentially secure the internal sleeve2-1 and the connecting block 5. There are spherical concaves 5-5arranged in a circle on the end surfaces of the connecting block 5, asshown in FIG. 3.

The fixing base 3 provides convex contact surface 3-1 of steel balls,through which the fixing base 3 is embedded into the spherical concaves5-5 of the connecting block 5, to circumferentially secure the fixingbase 3 and the connecting block 5. The convex contact surface 3-1 of thesteel balls of the fixing base 3 presses the steel balls through presser3-3 against the base body 3-4 of the fixing base 3, which steel balls3-2 stick partially out of the holes 3-5 of the base body 3-4. On theend surface of connecting block 5 and in the center of the convexcontact surface 3-1 of the steel balls on the fixing base 3 are holes,into which studs are inserted and connected to nuts (not shown) toaxially fix the fixing base 3 and the connecting block 5.

The fixing base 3 includes the fixing base body 3-4 and movable clampingpiece (not shown in the figures). The base body 3-4 has a clampingflange 3-6, to be connected to the movable clamping piece that isscrewed to the portable visual electronic product (not shown in thefigures). The moveable clamping piece and the base body 3-4 areconnected through the clamping flange 3-6 and the clamping block locatedat the back of the moveable clamping piece (not shown). The base body ofthe fixing base has an elastic stopper 3-7, which is located at one endof the clamping flange 3-6 and can be locked after the movable clampingpiece is clamped into the base body 3-4 so as to prevent the portablevisual electronic product from slipping.

This new retractable fixture is utilized as follows:

The fixing clip 1 of the novel fixture is secured to another fixedobject such as the connecting rod between the seat and head rest of acar. Following this the portable visual electronic product is clampedonto the fixing base 3 that is secured to the fixed object, as shown inFIG. 4. To adjust the visual direction, the supporting rod 2 is movedrelative to the fixing clip 1 through the hinge mechanism connectingthem together. To adjust the visual angle, the connecting block 5 isturned relative to the supporting rod 2 (or turn the internal sleeve 1-2relative to the external sleeve 2-2 of the supporting rod 2). For visualelectronic products with different screen directions, just turn thefixing base 3 relative to the connecting block 5. To change the visualdistance, the length of the retractable supporting rod 2 can be adjustedby moving the internal sleeve 2-1 relative to the external sleeve 2-2.

It is intended to cover by the appended claims all embodiments that fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A retractable fixture assembly for portable visual electronicproducts including an adjustable fixing clip means, an extendablesupporting rod assembly and a fixing base assembly, means for hingedlyconnecting the fixing clip means to one end of the supporting rodassembly and means for connecting the fixing base assembly to the otherend of the supporting rod assembly.
 2. The retractable fixture assemblyas set forth in claim 1 in which the supporting rod assembly comprisesrelatively movable internal and external sleeves and a spiral fixingblock, the external sleeve has external threads and adjacent theretoincludes a protruding pressure block, the fixing block includes internalthreads whereby it is connected to the external sleeve and after thesleeves are relatively moved to a preselected position the spiral fixingblock is adjusted to engage the pressure block to act against theinternal sleeve to secure the sleeves and thus, the supporting rodassembly in the desired position.
 3. The retractable fixture assembly asset forth in claim 1 in which the supporting rod assembly consists ofinternal and external sleeves and a spiral fixing block threaded on theexternal sleeve said external sleeve is threaded on its outside anddefines notches at its end to permit inward bending thereof, said fixingblock defines a conical opening whereby when the block is moved on saidexternal sleeve the external sleeve is pressed inwardly against theinternal sleeve to secure the internal and external sleeves relative toeach other.
 4. The retractable fixture assembly as set forth in claim 1in which the fixing clip means comprises two clamping rods that arehingedly connected to the supporting rod assembly at one end thereof andmeans are provided at the other ends of the clamping rods to affix theclamping rods to a support member to secure the portable electronicproduct to be secured to the fixture assembly in a fixed positionrelative to the support member.
 5. The retractable fixture assembly asset forth in claim 4 in which the means for hinging the fixing clipmeans to the supporting rod assembly include a first connecting blockmeans that defines spherical concaves arranged in a circle at both sidesthereof, and the clamping rods include a second connecting block meanslocated on both sides of the first connecting block means includingspring means therein, and disposed between the first and each of thesecond connecting block means are small steel balls, said springs act topress the small steel balls into said spherical concaves tocircumferentially connect said blocks together, and means are providedto secure said blocks together.
 6. The retractable fixture assembly asset forth in claim 5 in which said springs and said small steel ballsare identical in number and the springs are regularly distributedbetween said first and second connecting blocks and there are includedspring pressers disposed inside each of the second connecting blocks andthe pressers define regularly distributed round holes for holding thesprings.
 7. A retractable fixture assembly as set forth in claim 1 inwhich the supporting rod assembly comprises relatively movable internaland external sleeves, and the means for connecting the fixing baseassembly to the other end of the supporting rod assembly includes aconnecting block assembly and means for connecting the internal sleeveto said connecting block assembly.
 8. A retractable fixture assembly asset forth in claim 7 in which the means for connecting the internalsleeve to the connecting block assembly includes holes defined by saidconnecting block assembly, clamping pieces disposed adjacent said holesand means for securing said clamping pieces to said internal sleeve. 9.A retractable fixture assembly as set forth in claim 8 in which theconnecting block assembly defines spherical concave surfaces on an endportion of the connecting block assembly and the fixing base assemblydefines a convex contacting surface of steel balls through which thefixing base is embedded into the spherical concaves of the connectingblock to circumferentially secure the fixing base and the connectingblock, the end surface of the connecting block and the center of theconvex contact surface defines holes, and fastening means includingstuds extending through said holes for axially securing the fixing baseto the connecting block.
 10. A retractable fixture assembly as set forthin claim 9 in which the convex contact surface of steel balls is formedby presser means pressing the steel balls against one side of the fixingbase partially out of the holes to engage the concave surfaces definedby the connecting block assembly.
 11. A retractable fixture assembly asset forth in claim 10 in which the fixing base includes a base bodyassembly adapted to be connected to a movable clamping piece connectedto the portable electronic product to which the fixture assembly is tobe connected, the base body assembly including a clamping flange and anelastic stopper located at one end of the clamping flange whereby themovable clamping piece and the base body are connected through theclamping flange and a clamping block located at the back of the movableclamping piece.